Hot and/or cold vending machines are common in certain countries. For example, such vending machines are particularly popular in Japan. These vending machines typically have several compartments that can be run either hot or cold. The vending machines generally use a standard Rankine cycle refrigeration device. The overall refrigeration system may include evaporators in each compartment connected to the Rankine cycle device by valves and refrigeration lines. These valves may control which evaporators are “on”, thereby controlling which compartments are cold. Each of the compartments also may have a heater. The heater may be turned on in any compartment with products that are to be vended hot.
One of the drawbacks with these vending machines is that the evaporators generally are fixed within their respective compartments. Likewise, the Rankine cycle device may be fixed within the overall enclosure. Removal or replacement of the refrigeration system or the individual components therein therefore may be difficult and time consuming.
Another drawback with known hot and cold vending machines is the use of the Rankine cycle device itself. For example, a Stirling cycle cooler may be desirable as compared to a Rankine cycle device because the Stirling cycle cooler is non-polluting, efficient, and has very few moving parts. The integration of Stirling cycle coolers into conventional refrigeration cabinets, however, requires different manufacturing, installation and operational techniques as compared to those used for conventional refrigeration systems. One example of the use of a Stirling cycle cooler is shown in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,389 B2, entitled, “Merchandiser using Slide-out Stirling Refrigeration Deck”, incorporated herein by reference.
What is desired, therefore, is a hot and cold vending machine with an easily removable refrigeration system. Further, such a refrigeration system may be driven by a Stirling cycle cooler system, although a conventional Rankine cycle system or any type of known refrigeration system may be used.